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How Trump’s Weekend Trips May Put Foreign Leaders At Risk

The secret service has the task of not only protecting the President of the United States but also his family, others around him, and even foreign dignitaries when on US soil. The federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, usually is allocated a specific amount of funding per year, and this year they have already begun to run out of money.

President Trump has a total of 42 people under the protection of the Secret Service, including 18 family members. As a comparison, President Obama had only 31 people requiring protection during his administration. This extra demand, mainly because of Trump’s large, family, has placed a burden on the Secret Service and has caused many agents to miss out on pay. With over four months remaining in the year, unless additional funds are provided to the agency, things are looking quite bleak for the agents who are staying on.

Agents have had to put in overtime because of the President’s ridiculous travel schedule. It’s not his traveling for meetings with foreign leaders, but his vacations to his properties in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia, which are taking their toll on the agency. Additionally, his children, Ivanka, Eric and Don Jr. require protection for their frequent business travels. All of this has caused an exodus of some of the best agents working for the Secret Service, which is led by Director Randolph “Tex” Alles. Alles currently has his hands tied, as the budget is set in stone and salaries/overtime pay is capped at $ 160,000 per agent, unless Congress approves to raise such limits.

Approximately 30% of agents had already reached their limits in pay. This means that dignitaries and foreign leaders meeting at the United Nations for the General Assembly next month may not have the full protection that they typically would. Meanwhile President Trump has taken 13 trips to Mar-a-Lago, his Bedminister golf club or Trump Tower this year combined.

Should the President himself be compensating these agents or should Congress act to raise the caps on their pay? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below.